Bottle closure means



Aug. 9, 1949. R. YOUNG 2,478,352

BOTTLE CLOSURE MEANS Filed April 24, 1946 l N V EN TOR. law/@1206flammne Yo any Jim c 217 Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UN IT ED STATES fPATENTOFFICE 6 Claims.

l :This invention relates to bottle closure means and particularly toclosure'means that is readily applicable to and removable from the topof a bottle and that will make itv possible to pour liquid from a bottlewithout letting the-liquid thus poured come in contact with the topofthe bottle.

This closure'meansis particularly welladapted for use on milk bottlesbut it will be understood that it may be used on other types ofcontainers.

Another object is to provide a pouringattachment particularlynwelladapted to be used one milk bottle but which may. also be made .to fitother bottles from which-liquids are to be poured, said pouringattachment being, madecf-adurable material and being applicabletomilkbottles and the like after the usual disposable caps or closuresare removed; therefrom.

Another object is to providea pouring attachment having a closure memberthat .JWi'u .be opened by the pressure of the liquid being poured andthat will close assoon as the bottle or container is tilted intoanuprightpositionand: that a will prevent dripping of the liquid afterpouring.

A further object is to provide a pouringattachment having a spout thatextends upwardly and sidewise when the bottleis in an. upright positionso that any liquid left-in the spoutafter pouring will always tend todrain back into. the

bottle and that further has a swinging closure:

member provided with an outer part thatcloses against and over thespoutand an inner; part that swings inside of the spout and forms-a secondseal and wiper member towipe or push-back into the containersubstantially all liquid that tends to adhere to the spout afterpouring.

Another object. is to provide-a pouring attachment having a swingingclosure member and having an air vent opening or vacuum relief port andhaving a sliding valve member operated: b the Fig. 2 is a sectional vi wof the same-taken on. I

broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1,; and showingthedevice applied to a bottle.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view takensubstantiallyon broken line 3-.-3- ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is .a sectional ,viewsimilar to Fig-,2 except that the'bottleandpouring attachmentare shown in a pouring position.

. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view ofanother modified form of the invention.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

The'drawings show a pouring attachment for a bottle which may be amilkbottle 3B of the type shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 or another typeofbottle 3| as shown in Fig. 6.

The device shown in Figs. 1 to' 4 inclusive comprises-a metal tube 32 ofthe proper size to fit snugly within the neck of the bottlel). An ex-:curved and upwardly inclined bottom wall 35 over .which the liquidflows. A cap or cover'Bfi is a permanently secured to the top of thetube 32.

A portion of the. cap 36 overhangs the pouring spoutand iscurved'downwardly and inwardly to provide amember 31 for interlockingpivotal engagement with a curved upper end portion 3s ofa closuremember. The closure member is formed of two parts39 and'c. The outermostpart3!) has marginal flanges 39 that extend over the side walls 34 andbottom'35 when the member'39 is closed against the edges of said sidewallets and bottom 35. Preferably a gasket fis is provided in member 39to seat against the edges of walls 34 and 35.

The inner closure member lfl moves in very close proximity t the sidewalls 3% and curved .wall 35 andwill push or wipe liquid back into thebottle in case any liquid tends to adhere tothe Walls 34 or 35 afterpouring. The two members 39 .and' lfi provide a double seal for closingthe pouring spout.

A flat spring ll, pivotally mounted, by a rivet 42, on the cap 36 has acurved end portion- 43 adapted to rest on the closure member 39 and holdsaid closure member closed when thespring "4! is in the position shownby full lines in Figs.

1 and. 2. When the spring 4| is turned into a position as shown by dotand dash lines in Fig.1,

'it will release the member 39.

To relieve vacuum, which might hamper pourin from the bottle Ipreferably provide a vent opening 44 in the cover 36 and provide a plate45 slidablein a guide 136 to cover and uncover the vent opening-44. Theforward end .cf'theplate member 45 is pivotally connected with theclosure members 39 and 40. When the closure members 39 and 40 are in aclosed position the slide member 45 will cover the opening 44. Whenclosure members 39 and ll) are moved to an open position the slidemember 45 will be automatically moved thereby to uncover the opening 44.Thus automatically the vacuum will be relieved when pouring and thevacuum relief vent will be closed when not pouring.

The pouring attachment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 can be kept in the kitchenfor use on milk bottles from which the usual caps have been removed.This device is quickly and easily applied to a bottle and willeffectively protect the liquid within the bottle. When the bottle istilted for pouring, pressure of the liquid against the member 40automatically opens the closure member. The liquid pours from the spouteasily and smoothly and the liquid can not come in contact with the topof the bottle. When the bottle is returned to an upright position theclosure member will close by gravity, and in closing, the member 49 willpush all surplus liquid back into the bottle so that there will not beany liquid drip from the spout.

The pouring attachment shown in Fig. 5 is similar to the pouringattachment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 except that in the structure shown inFig. 5 additional weight 4! has been added to the closure member to makethe closing of the same by gravity more positive and certain. Also inFig. 5 the vacuum relief vent and closure means therefor and the springfor holding the closure means closed are omitted. Parts in Fig. 5 whichcorrespond to similar parts in Figs. 1 to 4 are similarl numbered.

The pouring attachment shown in Fig. 6 comprises a tubular member 48 ofinverted L shape which functions in a manner similar to the tube 32 andcover 36 of Figs. 1 to 4 and which is provided with a weighted closuredevice having an outer member 49 and an inner member 50. The

, tubular member 48 is of a size and shape to snugly fit within the neckportion of the bottle 3|.

The operation of the devices of Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to theoperation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclosepreferred forms of my invention but it will be understood that thesedisclosures are merely illustrative and that changes may be made withinthe scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pouring attachment for a bottle comprising a tubular member adaptedto fit snugly within the neck portion of the bottle; a pouring spout onthe tubular member above the top of the bottle, said pouring spouthaving parallel side walls and having a curved bottom wall that isinclined upwardly and outwardly from the bottle when the bottle is in anupright position; a swingingly mounted closure member operable to closeagainst said spout; and a wiper member carried by said closure memberand positioned in divergent relation to said closure member whereby saidwiper member will be positioned substantially flush with the inner endportion of said spout when the bottle is in an upright position and willbe moved outwardly clear of said spout when the bottle is tilted into apouring position, said wiper member having its edge portions movable inclose proximity to the side walls and bottom wall of said spout to pushliquid that adheres to said spout back into the bottle when the bottleis moved from a, pouring position back to an upright position.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which interfitting hook shapedportions are provided on the upper portion of the tubular member and theupper edge portion of the closure member to form a pivotal suspensionfor the closure member.

3. A pouring attachment for a bottle comprising a tubular member adaptedto fit within the neck portion of a bottle and extend outwardlytherefrom; a pouring spout on said tubular member above the bottle; aswinging closure member for said spout; pivot means in the upper portionof said spout swingingly supporting said closure member; a wiper membercarried by said closure member and swingingly movable into and out ofsaid spout, the combined weight of said closure member and said wipermember providing gravity closure thereof when the bottle is in anupright position; and stop means adapted to limit the inward movement ofsaid wiper member to a position substantially flush with the inner endportion of said spout.

4. A pouring attachment for a bottle comprising a tubular member adaptedto fit within and protrude from the neck portion of the bottle; apouring spout on said tubular member above the bottle; a swingingclosure member for said spout; a wiper member rigid with said closuremember and movable in said spout and having relatively close contactwith the walls of said spout; a vacuum relief port in said tubularmember; and means connected with said swinging closure member foropening and closing said vacuum relief port in response to swingingmovement of said closure member.

5. A pouring attachment for a bottle comprising a tubular member adaptedto fit snugly within the neck portion of the bottle; a pouring spout onthe tubular member above the top of the bottle, said pouring spouthaving an inclined bottom wall which is inclined upwardly and outward yfrom the bottle when the bottle is in an upright position; a closuremember supported for swinging movement relative to said spout; a wipermember carried. by said closure member swingingly movable within saidspout, said wiper member being positioned to move outwardly clear ofsaid spout to thereby leave the spout unobstructed when the bottle ismoved from an upright position to an inclined pouring position and tomove into said spout and wipe the inside walls of said spout and pushliquid which adheres to said spout back into said bottle when the bottleis moved from an inclined pouring position to an upright position; andstop means adapted to limit the inward movement of said wiper member toa position substantially flush with the inner end portion of said spout,whereby said wiper member functions as a secondary closure member whenthe bottle is in an upright position.

6. A pouring attachment for a bottle comprising a tubular member adaptedto fit snugly within the neck portion of the bottle; a pouring spout onthe tubular member extending above the top of the bottle, said pouringspout having an inclined bottom wall which is inclined upwardly andoutwardly from the bottle when the bottle is in an upright position; aclosure member adapted to rest against the outer end portion of saidspout when in bottle closing position; pivot means in the upper portionof said spout swingingly supporting said closure member; a wiper memberrigid with said closure member and positioned in divergent relationthereto and swingingly movable in said spout with its edge portions inclose proximity to the walls of the spout so that liquid on the innerwalls of said poit will be pushed ahead of said wiper membe movesthrough said spout, said wiper member being positioned to move outwardlyclear of said spout to thereb leave the spout unobstructed when thebottle is in an inclined pouring position and to move into said spoutand push liquid which adheres to the inside walls of said spout backinto said bottle when the bottle is moved from an inclined pouringposition to an upright position; stop means adapted to limit the inwardmovement of said wiper member to a position substantially flush with theinner end portion of said spout whereby liquid is prevented fromentering said spout ahead of said Wiper member; and a flat spring memberpivotally connected with said pouring attachment and movable into andout of engagement with said closure member when said closure member isin closed position relative to said spout.

LAWRENCE ROMAINE YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iiie oithis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

